Roller skate



HQ F. wHl'rcoMB, JR

ROLLER SKATE Filed Nov. 9, 1925 ifi Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

unirsi) STATES PATENT orrics.

HENRY F. WHITGOMB, JR., OF MILWAUKEE, 'WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO RICHARDSON BALL BEARING SKATE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO7k ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.k i

ROLLER SKATE.

Application filed November My invention relates to roller skates and particularly to the type wherein the footplate of the skate is mounted on the roller trucks with the interposition of cushioning elements whereby the foot plate can tilt on the rollers when the skater makes a turn, the cushion in the case of each truck being interposed between the foot-plate and the carrier in which the rollers vare carried. The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved carrier, of sheet metal for strength andl convenience of manufacture, formed to provide a rounded stud to engage a socket on the foot-plate, whereby lateral tilting movement of the foot-plate with respect to the roller, which takes place when the skater roundsa curve, is made smoother and easier and consequently't-he control of theV skaters movements is facilitated and made more certain.

Fig. 1 is a side View partly in section and partly in elevation of a roller skate constructed in acoordancewith my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective ofy a sheet metal blank partly formed into a truck bracket.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the carrier in its finished form, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the socket plate, showing my improved carrier engaged therewith.

rThe body of the skate, as shown in Fig,

l, consists of a foot-plate made up of heel and toe-plates 10 and 11, respectively, secured together by means ofV a reinforcing bridge 12 and is supported on front and rear pairs of rollers A and B.

. The means for mounting the foot-plate, er body of the skate on the rollers are similar and in each case comprises an axle 14 on which the rollers are' revolubly mounted by any suitable bearings; a carrier 15 secured rigidly to the central portionof the axle; a hanger 16 `secured to the foot-,plate and provided with a socket 17 for receiving one end of the carrier 15; and a cushion, preferably a body of rubber 18, interposed between the other end of the carrier 15 and an angularly disposed socket portion 19 ofv the hanger.

The carrier is made preferably ofsheet metal seas to combine the advantages of e, 192e. `seriai No. 146,642.

strength and lightness. lIt is made from a flat metal blank which is bent by a series of stamping operations to the configuration shown in Fig. 3.v The end 2O of the blank is rounded or tapered as shown in Fig. 2 and is formed with transverse slits 21 and 22. The blank is formed with a centralv rigidifying corrugation 23 which extends throughout the length of the arm 24 of the blank and also extends across the hub portion 25 thereof, and a portion 26 of the blank is formed with a cup-shaped configuration. The end 2O of the blank beyond the slits 21, 22 isthen bent to form a rounded or approximately cylindrical stud 27 f (Fig. which is tapered or beveled oif on the upper sidey and is adapted to lit within thesocket 17. `The configuration of the stud, it will be seen, provides for clearance between the stud andv the foot-plate of' the skate when the carrier 15 is operatively engaged with the socket plate as shown in Fig.y 1.

With the parts of the skate assembled,

the shoulders formed by the slits 21 -22 bear against the lower edges of the socket 17, in the case of each truck, and the arm 24 of the carrier stands at an inclined position with relation to the foot-plate. The cushion 18 seats in the cup-shaped end 26 of the carrier and is secured in such position by a bolt 28 which extends through the carrier, cushion and one end of thefbridge 12, and has a threaded engagement with the angularly disposed socket 19 on the hanger. With the rollers assembled Iwith the footplate or body of the skate in the above manner, the foot-plate may tilt laterally with vrelation to the truck, This flexibility, which is enhanced by the pivotal connection provided by stud 27, gives an leasy action when the skater makes a turn and makes accurate control of Vhis movements the more certain. Preferably, `the dia-meter of the stud 27 is such that the stud fit-s loosely within the socket 17 so as to permit the foot-plate to assume the various angular positions without interfering with the alignment of the rollers. The cylindrical surface of the stud27 cooperates with the f corresponding surface of the socket so as to minimize friction and to permit the arm 24 of the carrier to readily adjust itself in the socket 17. The fit of the stud in the socket .is close enough so that forward'and back movement ont the stud in the socket is reduced to a minimum.

lVhile l have described my invention in connection With one specific embodiment, it will be understood that the embodiment shown herein is illustrative merely and that l contemplate all such modications in structure as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A roller skate roller axle carrier Consisting ot' a sheet metal element,'one end ot' which has a curved configuration incross section with the lateral edges of the element converging to provide a rounded stud for engagement With a socket member of the skate.

2. A roller skate axle carrier consisting of asheet metal element formed at one end with transverse aligned slits, the metal beyond these slits curved with its opposite edges converging to provide a rounded stud for engagement With a socket member` on the skate.

8. A roller skate roller axle carrier consisting of a sheet met-al element and having a longitudinal central rigidifying corrugation therein, and provided with an axle gripping middle portion, one end of the carrier being provided With a seat for supporting a resilient buffer of the skate and the other end being in the form of a rounded stud for engagement with a socket member of the skate.

4. A roller skate axle carrier consist-ingV rounded stud to engage a socket member on the skate.

5. A roller skate axle Carrier consisting of a sheet metal element, one end ofwhieh has a curved eoniiguration in cross section with the lateral edges of the element tapered and converging to provide a rounded beveled stud for engagement with a socket member of the skate.

6. A roller skate axle carrier consisting of a sheet metal element, one end of which has a curved configuration in cross section with the lateral edges of the element converging and adjacent said curved portion laterally projecting portions to provide a rounded stud and lateral shoulders to extend into and engage the edge of a socket member of the skate.

HENRY F. WHITeoMB, JR. 

